Joe Jackson (born 11 August 1954 in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK, as … Read Full Bio ↴Joe Jackson (born 11 August 1954 in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK, as David Ian Jackson) is a British musician who grew up in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.. Jackson is known for the hit singles Is She Really Going Out With Him? (1979) and Steppin' Out (1982).

He started off learning to play the violin but soon switched to piano. From the age of 16 he played in bars, and won a scholarship to study musical composition at London's Royal Academy of Music. Jackson did not like the prospect of being a serious composer, and moved towards pop and rock.

His first band was Arms and Legs which collapsed after two unsuccessful singles. He then spent some time in the cabaret circuit to make money to record his own demos.

In 1978 a producer heard his tape, and got him signed to A&M Records. The album Look Sharp! was recorded straight away, and was released in 1979, quickly followed by I'm the Man and Beat Crazy in 1980. He also collaborated with Lincoln Thompson in reggae crossover.

The Joe Jackson Band was very successful and toured extensively. After the breakup of the band, Joe took a break and recorded an album of old-style swing and blues tunes, Jumpin' Jive, featuring songs of Cab Calloway, Lester Young, Glenn Miller, and most prominently, Louis Jordan. He went on to record Night and Day, an album that paid tribute to the wit and style of Cole Porter (and less directly, to New York City) and was his last album to hit the Top 10, peaking at #4.

He recorded another record that was heavily influenced by jazz, pop and jazz standards, and salsa, Body and Soul, which hit #20, containing the hit You Can't Get What You Want ('Til You Know What You Want).

Jackson followed with Big World, a three-sided double record (the fourth side consisted of a single centring groove and a label stating "there is no music on this side"). The instrumental Will Power set the stage for things to come later, but before he left pop behind he put out two more cerebral and celebratory albums, Blaze of Glory and Laughter and Lust. For some years he drifted away from the pop style, going on to be signed by Sony Classical in 1997, which released his Symphony No. 1 in 1999 for which he received a Grammy award.

Night and Day II in 2000 lacked strong pop hooks though, as usual with Jackson, displayed fine lyrics and some elegant songwriting. Volume 4 in 2003 reunited the original band and was well received. A promotional CD, bundled with the initial release, of the 'live' band playing some of Jackson's strongest material was widely admired.

Jackson is also an author, having written A Cure for Gravity, published in 1999, which Jackson has described as a "book about music, thinly disguised as a memoir". It traces his early musical life from childhood until his 24th birthday. Life as a pop star, he suggested, was hardly worth writing about.

In 2004 Jackson performed a cover of Common People with William Shatner for Shatner's album Has Been.

He has actively campaigned against smoking bans in both the USA and the UK, writing a 2005 pamphlet The Smoking Issue and issuing a satirical song (In 20-0-3) on the subject.

In 2008 the album Rain was released by Joe Jackson. Like its predecessor Volume 4, it featured members of the 'Joe Jackson Band', this time minus guitarist Gary Sanford.

Currently he lives in Kreuzberg, Germany.

Discography:

1979 - Look Sharp!
1979 - I'm The Man
1980 - Beat Crazy
1981 - Jumpin' Jive
1982 - Night and Day
1983 - Mike’s Murder, (Soundtrack)
1984 - Body and Soul
1986 - Big World
1987 - Will Power
1988 - Live 1980/86
1988 - Tucker, (Soundtrack)
1989 - Blaze of Glory
1991 - Laughter & Lust
1994 - Night Music
1997 - Heaven and Hell
1999 - Symphony No. 1
2000 - Summer in the City: Live in New York
2000 - Night and Day II
2002 - Two Rainy Nights, (Live)
2004 - Volume 4
2004 - Afterlife, (Live)
2008 - Rain
2011 - Live Music, (Live)
2012 - The Duke

Be My Number Two
Joe Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Won't you be my number two
Me and number one are through
There won't be too much to do
Just smile when I feel blue

And there's not much left of me
What you get is what you see
Is it worth the energy

I leave it up to you

And if you got something to say to me
Don't try to play your funny games on me
I know that it's really not fair of me
But my heart's seen too much action

And every time I look at you
You'll be who I want you to
And I'll do what I can do
To make a dream or two come true

If you'll be my
If you be my number two

Overall Meaning

The song "Be My Number Two" by Joe Jackson is a heartfelt plea by the singer to his potential partner. Joe Jackson is asking his partner to be his "number two" after he has had a failed relationship with his previous "number one". The song is very direct and simple but conveys a lot of emotions. Joe Jackson is honest about his intentions, and he is not asking for too much; he just wants his partner to be there for him, to smile when he feels blue, and to make some of his dreams come true. The song acknowledges that there's not much left of him, but he hopes that his potential partner can help him regain some of his happiness.

The lyrics of the song imply that Joe Jackson has been through heartbreak before and he is tired of playing games. He is straightforward and implores his partner to speak the truth to him, unlike his previous partner who played games that led to their breakup. He acknowledges that it may not be fair to his new partner since his heart has seen too much action, but he is willing to give love another chance. He desperately wants her to be, not just a lover, but a friend as well, someone he can rely on when things get tough. The song is a message of hope, and a cry for help from someone who has been through the wringer on the subject of love.

Line by Line Meaning

Won't you be my number two
Will you please be my second choice?

Me and number one are through
My first choice is no longer an option.

There won't be too much to do
Our relationship will be simple and easy.

Just smile when I feel blue
Your support and presence will comfort me during hard times.

And there's not much left of me
I don't have much to offer or give.

What you get is what you see
I am upfront and honest about who I am.

Is it worth the energy
Are you willing to put in the effort to be with me?

I leave it up to you
The decision of being with me is up to you.

And if you got something to say to me
If you have any thoughts or concerns, please tell me.

Don't try to play your funny games on me
Please don't try to manipulate or deceive me.

I know that it's really not fair of me
I understand that it may not be fair to ask you to be my second choice.